


Shackled

by vinetini



Category: Fire Emblem Heroes, Fire Emblem Series
Genre: Angst, Captured Kiran, Gen, Gender Neutral Summoner, Imprisonment, Mild Suicidal Thoughts, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-16
Updated: 2018-07-16
Packaged: 2019-06-11 09:41:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15312738
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vinetini/pseuds/vinetini
Summary: Any day now, someone from the Order of Heroes was going to run around the corner, key in hand and freedom awaiting. Someone's going to rescue Kiran, they HAVE to.How else can they go on in this hell, otherwise?





	Shackled

It's been about three days since they'd been chained up and things seemed to be getting worse already. The old saying was that people adjust to adversity, but Kiran must be faulty because they find themselves losing hope as each day goes by (not that they can tell time well here; it's so dark and the barred window so small that sometimes they don't even realise night has passed). They sleep fitfully on the stone prison floor; drink the stale, stagnant water given to them and choke down the horrible rations solely meant to keep them alive for another day. Their wrists hurt like hell; the shackles seem to weigh heavier each morning that passes. They've lost weight already; they could probably fit their arms through the bars now, though the rest of them could hardly follow. On top of it all, as much as they were embarrassed to admit it; they stunk. Rags that weren't washed, sweat that accumulated from the Muspell heat and the stench of their waste which was in a chamber pot only cleaned out in the end of the day made them feel quite repulsive. As much as they were looking forward to being rescued, the idea of the Order of Heroes actually seeing them like this made their stomach clench. 

As much as they want to hate Laegjarn for capturing them... there's a part of them now that realises the two sisters are prisoners to Surtr both in their own ways. Laegjarn had treated them with dignity and care in the day they were in her captivity, carmine eyes glimmering with worry. She looked even more pained when she saw Kiran being led into the castle - to be locked away until Surtr either found a way to exploit their legendary weapon for his own gains, or if the former failed, to be executed. For one glorious moment, Kiran thought she was going to step forward and stop him being lead away by Loki- but she collected herself and stood back, lips set in a grim line. It was one of the last things Kiran saw before the days and days of loneliness inside this horrid cell. 

Still... they didn't hate her, not truly.

Surtr on the other hand? Pfeh. They grimace, thinking of the disgusting King and his delusions of grandeur. If they couldn't be rescued, better to die than to aid him. If their hand was forced... Kiran would not let themselves live to serve him. They would find some way either to flee or die by their own hand before even lifting a finger to help that bastard. And Loki? The smug enchantress looked far too delighted to be locking someone away in a cell, cooing and batting her eyelashes and promising "she wouldn't forget you down here, dear!". The mockery in her voice was palpable and Kiran, hands shackled and divine weapon seized, could do nothing but take the brunt of it.

They sigh softly, trying to relax into a comfortable position. The floor was terribly uncomfortable and their shackled arms prevented fully lying down in a natural position, but they tried their best. It seems no rescue would be coming today.

They begin to wonder if a rescue was coming soon.

* * *

They could hardly determine how many days had passed now; perhaps they could hazard a guess at 9 or 10.

The smell was starting to get to them.

So hot.

Tired.

Alfonse is coming, right? Sharena? Anna too?

They'd be back in Askr soon, with a nice fluffy bed.

They'd put Feh again and she'd hoot happily and Anna would be cheering and Sharena would probably be crying and Alfonse-

Alfonse.

They didn't get to tell him.

They didn't want to die before they told him.

They didn't want to die but they didn't want to keep going on.

Was it night or morning? Naga only knew.

They cry softly, but stop soon enough. Crying won't solve anything and they don't want to dehydrate themselves even further. 

With guards who refuse to talk to them, a sole visit from Loki days ago who promptly deemed Kiran 'too defeated to be entertaining' and depressing surroundings, sleep is the only comfort they have left. Well, besides the fact they haven't seen Surtr yet. Kiran doubt he would be bothered to visit unless it was to demand they use their weapon for something, but it had yet to happen. 

Small mercies...

They dream of the night sky in Askr and a prince with golden wings beside them.

* * *

 

They don't know what day it is, but it seems delirium has finally arrived for they can hear rapid footsteps in the corridor despite no guard being present for another hour.

"Oh good, maybe going mad will make this less insufferable" they think to themselves idly, waiting for the sound to gradually stop.

It doesn't.

"KIRAN!"

Kiran jolts up from their slumped position against the wall, cringing as the shackles pull against their raw red skin. But the pain is almost immediately forgotten upon seeing the face on the other side of the bars.

"A-Al...?" they rasp out, embarrassment at the weakness of their voice and appearance mingling with desperate, sudden hope.

"I'm here!" he cries out, shoving a silver key into the cell's lock. 

Kiran's heart almost leaps out of their chest when the door swings violently open, clanging against the bars. They raise their head, blinking back tears of joy as Alfonse shoves his way inside the dreary door. He was here, he was here! 

"Kiran! Gods, what happened to you?" he said, horror on his face as he took in the summoner's frail body.

"Al..." they whisper, starting to cry in earnest now.

They felt so happy and disgusting at the same time. There was so much they wanted to say: "Thank you, I'm scared, Take me home, Don't look at me"

Nothing came out except quiet crying. 

"Oh, Kiran..." he said softly, kneeling down in front of Kiran and raising a hand to their shoulder.

Kiran no longer cares if they are ratty, rank and gaunt; they dive into his arms, sobbing. He was here. The Order of Heroes must not be far behind and for him to have the key meant they must have made a sizeable push into the castle's defences. Anna, Sharena, all their Hero friends... They were safe. They came to save Kiran. They were going home.

"Al... oh Alfonse" they choke out, each word stinging in their throat but liberating all the same.

The prince says nothing but continues to rub their back soothingly. It was the nicest thing they had felt in what seems like forever; grinning so hard it felt like it would split their face, they nuzzle closer into Alfonse's neck.

Wait.

Perfume?

Kiran blinks in confusion as the flowery scent of perfume enters their nose. It seems to be coming from Alfonse's clothes?

"Al, what's that smell?"

"What smell?" he replies, face carefully blank.

"The... perfume?" they say slowly, suddenly feeling tense.

Alfonse's face doesn't look quite right anymore.

A cold, creeping feeling takes over them. Alfonse's face doesn't look like Alfonse's face. Something is missing, or different, and he smells like perfume. Perfume they've smelt before. Perfume they smelt on Loki as she lead them into the dungeon-

Kiran almost vomits. The realisation is a punch to the gut, a wave of misery crashing down upon them. 

" _Too defeated to be entertaining_ " _she'd said._

"Kiran? I don't understand what you mean" said 'Alfonse', expression carefully schooled into faux compassion.

"SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP!" they shriek, each word tearing their throat and their heart in pieces.

"Kiran, you're worrying me!" comes the false plead. 

Kiran sobs, rattles their shackles to no avail, dry heaves. They're losing control of their emotions, reactions, functions-

**"This isn't real, is it?"**

The accusation hangs in the stale air.

Alfonse's face is blank, and then-

a smirk. 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> oops downer ending. fuck u loki
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
